AN ART UNION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 931, 3 January 1890, Page 16

AN ART UNION.

The prospectus of an art union is published, the ostensible purpose of which is the raising of funds, or rather material, for the Free Public Library. The affair i 3 in perfect order, permission to hold it having been granted by the Colonial Secretary. We wish, in the best interests of society, that less complacency had been discovered in that department of the public service, for there is an unmistakable element of gambling apparent in this art union that it is most undesirable to foster. Such methods of raising funds for any object, whatever, are more honoured in the breach than in the observance. The “hasting to be rich” tendency in humanity is as rife now as ever it was, quite as much so as when the Gaming and Lotteries A.ct of this Colony and its amendment were passed. It is a very short step, indeed, from a lottery for miscellaneous articles to one for money only. The latter is prohibited by statute, but the approach to it by the art union we are dealing with is so close as to leave a very slight margin of difference. There is no comparison, whatever between it and the art unions of church bazaars arid so forth. This is a full blown public concern appealing very unmistakably to the cupidity of the

people, and offering tempting inducements to stake against the odds. We hope greater care will be exercised hereafter in granting licenses to undertakings of the kind, for the evil they breed far outweighs the good they compass.